Luc Oullette at the Wdb/Moh circuit now

[trying2win]

--Does anybody know why Luc Oullette relocated to the Woodbine/Mohawk circuit? Seems to me, as one of the top drivers at the Big M, he was making good money there. I just don't know the motive for the move. I'm just curious.

Thanks,

Trying2win

[Zaf]

He wanted to move back to Canada for a better Quality of life.
I think that was the main reason, a safer environment for his family.

ZAFONIC

[Zaf]

The WDB/MOH circuit is pretty major. The purse money is huge now thanks to the slots. I know its not the Meadowlands, but it ain't half bad.

ZAFONIC

[trying2win]

Zafonic,

--Thanks for the info.

--I just noticed that after about 200 drives on the OJC circuit, Luc Oullette's win rate was only about 11%. Just average. However, when you consider after approximately his first 100 drives on this circuit, he was winning at just a 6% clip. A big improvement!
Not quite yet in the win % league of Randy Waples or Chris Christoforou, but getting there.

--The OJC harness circuit is very competitive. Luc Oullette is finding out it takes awhile to move up the ladder there.

Trying2win

[sq764]

I don't think he is going 'all out' just yet. He doesn't want to upset the local drivers just yet. They get pretty pissed when you start taking purse money from them..

Check back in like June, he should be leading the driver standings..

[shanta]

I REMEMBER LUC WHEN HE WAS DRIVING AT YONKERS. WALTER CASE WAS ALSO DRIVING THERE AND AT THAT TIME LUC WAS WINNING ABOUT 19% OF HIS DRIVES WHILE CASE WAS WINNING 28%. THEN LUC WENT TO THE BIG M AND CASE WENT TO COCAINE AND WIFE ABUSE. THE REASON LUC WENT TO CANADA IS HE MET A BEAUTIFUL(AND I MEAN BEAUTIFUL!!) LADY WHO LIVES UP THERE AND HE RELOCATED THERE. IN MY OPINION THE ONLY REASON LUC LED THE STANDINGS AT THE BIG M WAS CAUSE HE HAD "HELP" FROM THE "FRENCH CONNECTION " THERE. KNOW WHAT I MEAN ??? HIS UNCLE MIKE LACHANCE, DAN DUBE AND A COUPLE OF OTHERS RODE THERE REGULARLY AND THEY WOULD OFTEN RUN "INTERFERENCE" FOR 1 ANOTHER. I WOULD BE BETTING THE THOROUGHBREDS SIMULS AND WOULD WALK OUTSIDE WITHA BUDDY WHO LOVED THE HARNESS AND WE WATCHED MORE THAN A FEW RACES. LUC WILL NEVER(AND I MEAN NEVER!!!!!!) BE THE TOP DRIVER AT WDB !!! HE IS VASTLY OVERRATED AS A DRIVER IN MY OPINION WHICH MEANS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN THE HARNESS WORLD!!!!!!!! COME ON LUC! PROVE ME WRONG!!!!!!!!!
RICHIE

WHO'S HARNESS OPINIONS HELPED HIM LOSE A TON OF MONEY FOR 20 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek:

[norm f]

Sorry to disagree. But Luc is an awesome driver,and has already latched of to a couple of good trainers.And also has many more opportunities by relocating to the weg,like a style that will suit him for more drives a flamboro downs during the afternoon as well as sunday nights if he so chooses.He did drive a few of Robinsons horses later in the fall.You will see him in the WEG"S top 3 at the end of the year.Tops in wins???Maybe.Tops in money???You bet !

[sq764]

Richie, you are right about one thing!

Your opinion means nothing in the harness world :-)

[shanta]

I LOST SO MUCH MONEY OVER 20 YEARS BETTING THE "SULKIES" I COULD HAVE BOUGHT A HOUSE IN A RESPECTABLE NEIGHBORHOOD HERE IN WESTCHESTER!!!!!!! :eek:

SOMETIMES KNOWING YOUR WEAKNESSES IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWING YOUR STRENGHTS!!! AND TO THINK IT ONLY HAS TAKEN ME 20 YEARS TO FIGURE THIS OUT!!!!

THINK I BETTER LEAVE THIS "BUGGY STUFF" TO THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY ARE IN THAT ZONE!

RICHIE

[Exactaman]

well, better late than never Shanta! leave the buggies to us :)

I agree with Norm. Luc gets the most early out of a horse. No one would consider him a tactician. His aggressive style hurts some horses chances but often puts him in good position to win. That should be an asset up in Canada.

[Geewhiz]

Guess I gotta disagree with you guys....Luc will front end a horse waaaaaay too often for me--whether the horse has a shot or not. A great example was the Metro final last year. He drove Our Lucky Killean out of the 8 hole, and turnpiked him. Believe he was the longest shot on the board and he died coming for home. Got beat 16 or 18 lengths.

[sq764]

Geewhiz, watch how many Luc will win on the front end though.. He is probably the best driver on the front end in the world..

[Geewhiz]

This subject came up on another board so I did some looking at the first 2 weeks of July at The Meadowlands. The numbers didn't bear this out.....he front ended most horses but most of his winners came from off the pace.

[sq764]

You are comparing apples and oranges..

Front end at BigM is death.. Front end at Woodbine is magical..

[Exactaman]

Luc not good on the front end? I think i've been watching a different M1 geewhiz! anyway he didn't just pull all of those wins out of a hat.

sharp speed horses can win on the lead at m1, don't you think sq? now balmoral....

[sq764]

Oh speed horses certainly can and do win at BigM.. no doubt.. And Luc has won with many one-way horses on the front end (Craig Mark N and Nutwood N come to mind).

My point was that there is a sever speed bias at Woodbine, as opposed to the late pace bias at BigM..

[Exactaman]

well i'll agree that woodbine has the big speed bias. i don't like to play there, even less then mohawk. but i never thought of m1 as a late pace bias track. variable in winter spring, speed bias in summer, nothing like woodbine granted. closers certainly always have a shot.

[Geewhiz]

As far as numbers, I only looked at the first 2 weeks of July, 2003. If you look at the fall 2003 meet at The Meadowlands, he didn't front end as much and seemed to do better.

[sq764]

When it starts to heat up in late Spring and into Summer, they start closing from the clouds there.. Right now there tends to be a strong wind down the lane that is making it tough for deep closers..

But in the Summer when those $50 claimers go 54 and change to the half, you see some horses closing like freight trains..

[Exactaman]

you'll see just as many caught behind gappers off a 1:22 pace, with too much ground to make up!